Four Walking Indicators “Predict” Walking Ability
A decline in walking ability is typically assessed by comprehensively evaluating the number of steps, speed, gait, and the presence of discomfort or pain.
First, a decrease in step count is a clear indicator of decreased walking ability. This decrease may be due to factors such as weakened muscle strength and joint stiffness.
Second, changes in gait speed can reflect cardiopulmonary function, joint mobility, and cognitive ability for the elderly or those with special health conditions. Generally speaking, elderly people with a normal gait speed are generally in better health, while those whose gait slows to less than 0.6 meters per second are more likely to fall and experience osteoporosis.
In addition, gait stability is closely related to factors such as muscle strength, balance, and nervous system function. An unstable gait can easily lead to staggering or falling.
Finally, pain or discomfort while walking may indicate a problem in a certain part of the body, such as joint inflammation or muscle strain.
Experts advise that if you notice significant changes in these areas, seek medical attention promptly for diagnosis and treatment of potential health issues.
Which elderly people are most likely to suffer from walking difficulties?
As you can imagine, the simplest and most basic movement of walking requires the coordination of not only the joints and bones, but also the tendons and muscles. Therefore, as people age, both the loss of bone mass in the skeletal system and the loss of muscle mass in the muscular system, leading to osteoporosis and sarcopenia, are closely linked to decreased walking ability in the elderly. Among the most common diseases causing walking difficulties in the elderly are:
Lumbar disc herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis: Lumbar disc herniation compresses the lumbar nerve roots, causing low back pain and sciatica, which radiates to the lower limbs and leads to numbness and weakness. Alternatively, it compresses the spinal cord within the spinal canal, weakening spinal cord conductivity and gradually causing heavy legs and difficulty walking.
Lower limb joint degeneration and bone hyperplasia: Joint degeneration and excessive strain cause joint pain and stiffness. The hyperplasia irritates surrounding soft tissues during walking, causing significant leg pain and difficulty walking.
Osteoporosis is most common in postmenopausal women and men over 70 years old, as well as those with chronic illnesses or long-term steroid use. Due to the significant decline in estrogen levels in women after menopause, women are at a higher risk of osteoporosis than men. The lifetime risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures in women is approximately twice that of men. In addition to the aforementioned conditions, varicose veins and insufficiency of the lower limb venous valves, intramuscular lactic acid accumulation caused by overexertion, muscle cramps caused by calcium deficiency, joint swelling and pain caused by meniscus injury, neurological dysfunction caused by cerebral infarction, lower limb fractures, malnutrition, polymyositis, and peripheral neuropathy can also contribute to difficulty walking long distances.
